Letters to the Editor - Feb. 14, 2013

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Posted Feb. 14, 2013 at 3:15 AM

Posted Feb. 14, 2013 at 3:15 AM

To the editor: RE: The Dover Waterfront project. In reading the summary in today’s paper, it strikes me that the fundamental problem is that the idea is misconceived. Isn’t the lack of investors telling both the developer and the city something important?

I expect, however, there are so many city egos involved in this, that it will grind on, with the lawyers as the primary winners ($269K in legal fees so far is pretty sweet!).

Roland Allen

Barrington

To the editor: On Jan. 30 I officially resigned from the Rochester School Board. Due to personal matters, my time and energy needs to be on my family and my daughter’s health. I don’t think it would have been fair to the constituents of Ward 1, the teachers and our students if I were to have taken a leave of absence or simply not showed up for meetings.

I want to thank the constituents of Ward 1 for their votes and also each school board member. I have enjoyed my time on the board and have learned so much. I truly believe in all the teachers here in Rochester and I will always try to do what I can for all the students.

Laurie Beaulieu

East Rochester

To the editor: I am writing as a concerned and discussed American, not ever serving in the Armed Forces myself, but having the greatest respect for all those who have served in our forces whether as a draftee or a volunteer, they all paid the price for their country and our respect.

And how do we as a country repay that service? We take back promises we’ve made and cut back veterans benefits. The final straw for me is a man named Roger who is very active 93 year old who landed at Normandy a mere seven days after D-Day and not long after was machine-gunned across both leg and feet.

After recovering from the wounds that almost cost him his leg and took a year to recover from, he was shipped out again to Europe. When that war was over and he remained in the Army serving again in the Korean conflict. After ending a decorated 20 years, he took a job overseeing housing for military families at Pease AFB for another 20 years even lobbying for the units to be used for low income housing. But the Army would have none of it; they bulldozed it and hauled it away.

Now with his wife gone and relying on assisted living in a private home, his veteran-funded daytime care that allowed his caregiver to work Monday-Fridays 8-4, was cut down to Tuesday and Thursdays. Now I was just told that as of March there will be no more funding of this care. His primary caregiver and guardian may be forced to choose between being able to make a living and continuing to care for a love one of almost 20 years.

Is this the thanks we show to a hero and true patriot? Should we not do whatever possible to live up to our end of the deal? I’ll never call it a bargain because they got the wet end for sure. Please contact your local representatives and congressman to see what can be done about this outrage.

Bruce White

Rochester

To the editor: It baffles me how some parents refuse to accept the responsibility of their child’s truancy at school. Granted, once in a great and rare while, a child is unmanageable. But for the most part it stems from the child’s upbringing.

Some of the truancy parents complain that they have no control over their child. Well, guess what? It’s probably because you lacked and are lacking parenting skills. I’ve seen the type of parents whose children are truant, unmanageable, lacking manners, irresponsible, etc. They have never made their children accountable for anything but they are good at making excuses for them. Then when the parents are held accountable for their children’s behavior they play the “I don’t have control” card.

It is not the school’s nor the police department’s responsibility to raise your child to be a responsible member of society. It is yours and yours alone. The school’s job is to educate your children, not raise them, and the police’s job is to uphold the law.

It’s about time these parents are held responsible.

Karen Stacy

Rochester

To the editor: It has been years since I have written an editorial to the Foster”s but I felt I needed to voice my opinion on the article I read in the Foster’s concerning in state tuition for illegal immigrants.

I’d like to start by asking Mr. Peter Schmidt what he doesn’t understand about the word illegal. I would also like to ask Mr. Schmidt and all the other liberal politicians like him, Democrats and Republicans, when are they going to become concerned about the legal middle class people in this state like myself. Where are these politicians and liberal do-gooders when people like myself have to work overtime and save all our lives to send three children to college, one of which went to college in Massachusetts, where we had to pay the full tuition.

No, I’m not asking the politicians for a handout, I’ll pay my way like thousands of other families in this state. What I’m asking is that they stay out of our pockets and if they are so concerned about illegals they should set an example by sponsoring an illegal and signing the proper paperwork that pledges they will not go on the public dole, like many of our ancestors had to do legally years ago without any handouts.

Make no mistake about this bill, there is only one reason why these liberal politicians are so concerned about the illegals, votes.

As for Pastor Sandra Pantoh maybe she needs to dig a little deeper in the offering plate of the 14 Indonesian churches to pay for the illegal’s college tuition instead of trying to pick the pockets of the working middle class.

What have we come to when we would even consider a bill like this.

I am urging all state reps to please vote against HB 474.

Marc Couture

Rollinsford

To the editor: Banning travel versus advising travel during stormy weather should be left up to the traveler/responsible driver.

Provisions should be made by a responsible employer for the employees if such weather conditions exist so that travel is not necessary.

Banning travel, arrest, jail time and high fines are dictatorial and have no place in a free society.